Multi Effects Pedal Reviewshttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com
Multi Effects Pedal Reviews & DemosThu, 11 Jun 2015 23:49:28 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Zoom G3/G3X Reviewhttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com/zoom-g3-g3x-review/
http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/zoom-g3-g3x-review/#commentsThu, 27 Nov 2014 21:02:02 +0000http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/?p=1187As far as guitar multi-effects units go, Zoom has never really been seen as one of the premium manufacturers like Line 6 or BOSS. However, they do have a history of producing pedals that are practical and affordable; and the G3X is one such pedal which seems to pack in quite a bit of value for money in small package. I recently had the chance to test run this pedal and discover its many pros and few cons myself. Check Amazon Price…Continue reading...

Summary

• Pros: Extremely user-friendly layout and compact design. A great selection of effects and amp modulations. High value for money.
• Cons: Lack of dedicated footswitches to scroll through banks makes it hard to use in a live setting.
• Overall: A good option for guitarists who plan on using it in rehearsal or home-studio settings.

Full Review

As far as guitar multi-effects units go, Zoom has never really been seen as one of the premium manufacturers like Line 6 or BOSS. However, they do have a history of producing pedals that are practical and affordable; and the G3X is one such pedal which seems to pack in quite a bit of value for money in small package. I recently had the chance to test run this pedal and discover its many pros and few cons myself.

Build

One thing I really liked about the G3X is its size. Sure, I like a pedal that gives me just a little more than all the tonal options than I need. But what I don’t like is a pedal that takes up way too much of my onstage real estate. And at just 12.7 X 6.9 inches (and 9.2 X 6.7” for the G3), this pedal only takes up as much space as three or four stompboxes would.

As far as the G3X’s build quality goes, its outer casing and footswitches are made of metal and the pedal feels like it can take some wear and tear both onstage and on the road. The only weakpoints, if any, on the pedal are its control knobs, but those too are recessed into the pedal’s body so that they’re protected from any unwitting kicks.

The G3X also weighs in at just two and a half pounds, so it’s easier to carry around and transport than a laptop, which definitely earns this pedal some points in terms of practicality and portability. And speaking of portability, Zoom’s designers have been smart enough to make the G3X so that it can be powered by either its power adaptor, USB connection or four AA batteries.

Interface

If you’ve never used a multi-effects unit before, and if you feel intimidated by how complicated they might seem, the Zoom G3X might be just the starting point for you. The great thing about this pedal’s layout is that it’s incredibly simple and intuitive.

To start off, holding down on the first footswitch takes you to the pedal’s home screen where you can scroll through your patches and banks. One drawback that I need to mention here is that to scroll through your banks on the G3 and G3X you need to press down on two footswitches simultaneously. This might not seem like such a hassle when jamming at home or in the studio, but can be frustrating in a live environment.

Once a specific patch is selected, you can press down on the first footswitch again. When you do this, the three LCD panels each display a graphic illustration of each specific effect in the patch. You can then scroll through this display using the “Scroll” button on the top of the pedal and the displays on the LCD panels will switch automatically. You can have up to six effects running simultaneously in one patch, but you can obviously only control three effects using the LCD screens at a time.

To change a specific effect in one of the blocks, all you go to do is scroll through the various effects using the “Type” buttons on top of each LCD screen. This can be a bit frustrating at times though because you sometimes have to scroll through dozens of effects to get to the one you want. Once you settle on an effect, you can either press the “Page” button to the top right of each screen, or turn one of the control knobs underneath to bring up a graphical illustration of the adjustable parameters of each effect or amp modulation.

In this sense, using the G3X really is no different than using six stompboxes as part of a pedalboard, but if you are a guitarist who needs to switch between a large number of sounds quickly, the G3X might be a little more hassle than it worth on stage.

The G3X also comes complete with an expression pedal which can be assigned to various expression based effects like Wah and voice. However, both pedals have an option to connect an external footswitch or control pedal, so you can easily hook up your own expression pedal to a G3.

As far as connectivity options go the back panel of the G3X houses ¼” input jack with an active/passive switch, ¼” stereo outputs, balanced XLR output and USB jack. The G3X has an onboard soundcard so you can record directly onto your PC or Mac with Zoom’s Sequel LE recording software. Zoom also offers players free software to edit and share patches easily through their computers.

Sound

The G3X might be a relatively small pedal, but it still houses a healthy 100 patches divided into ten banks, which is more than enough to cater to the tonal requirements of most guitarists. The only drawback, like I mentioned before, is the fact that the pedal doesn’t have dedicated footswitches to scroll through various banks. So if you’re a guitarist who needs a broad range of sounds, you might need to learn some fancy footwork to handle this pedal. However, Zoom does claim to have the fastest switching rate of 1ms, so switching through different effects is super fast, which is a notable upside.

The pedal includes twenty two amp modulations and Zoom has taken steps to improve the realism of these with their latest ZFX-IV DSP. The amp models include some big name amps like Marshall, Fender, Mesa/Boogie, Vox, Orange and Hiwatt and come complete with cabinets that complement them. However, I did notice that the amp modulations tend to suck up quite a bit of DSP power so if you own a high quality amp and cabinet, you might be better off bypassing this altogether.

As far as effects go, the G3X has a whopping 94 effects to choose from. These include all the essential distortion, EQ, reverb, delay and compressions along with a handful of more eccentric effects. The only weak links that I noticed are the pitch based effects like the harmonizer.

Additional Features

Both the G3 and the G3X include a tuner and a 40 beat drum machine. But the pedal’s standout feature is its looper which offers a healthy 40 seconds of recording. The only drawback is that using the Undo/Redo options seems to cut the recording time by half.

Conclusion

Although I do admire Zoom’s efforts in creating an affordable pedal with an intuitive layout and compact design, I have to say that this isn’t really a pedal that is suited for extensive live use. However, if you mostly plan on using this pedal for jamming, rehearsing and recording purposes, there aren’t many that offer as many functionalities for a low price as the G3 and G3X.

Zoom G3X Demo

]]>http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/zoom-g3-g3x-review/feed/1Line 6 POD HD500X Reviewhttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-pod-hd500x-review/
http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-pod-hd500x-review/#commentsThu, 27 Nov 2014 09:37:13 +0000http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/?p=1147When Line 6 released the POD HD500 way back in 2010 they bridged the gap between the sonic capabilities of a big, bulky and hugely expensive rack-type effects unit and the portability of a multi-effects pedal. And with the POD HD500X Line 6 has offered some minor, but very well thought out changes that really positions the POD series in a class of its own. Check Amazon Price…Continue reading...

Summary

• Pros: Extremely high quality amp modeling and effects.
• Cons: Hardly any cons to be mentioned.
• Overall: A powerful and comprehensive multi-effects pedal which can fit into any high-level live or recording situation.

Full Review

When Line 6 released the POD HD500 way back in 2010 they bridged the gap between the sonic capabilities of a big, bulky and hugely expensive rack-type effects unit and the portability of a multi-effects pedal. And with the POD HD500X Line 6 has offered some minor, but very well thought out changes that really positions the POD series in a class of its own.

Build

When we first got a look at the POD HD500 the first thought that popped into our heads was that this was a pedal that looked like it belonged in a professional guitarist’s rig. And like its predecessor, the Line 6 POD HD500X is slick, stylish and yet ruggedly built. The pedal’s outer casing is made almost entirely of metal and feels like it can take some pretty reckless treatment on the road. Line 6 has also swapped the HD500’s chrome footswitches for twelve high-grade footswitches which are each illuminated by a red LED ring. The addition of the LED illuminators to the footswitches seems like such a simple thing, but any guitarist will tell you just how important it can be to have a way to tell exactly which footswitches are engaged in a low-light, high-energy live environment. The switches themselves feel much more responsive and stronger than those of the HD500.

A tiny drawback that must be mentioned here is that Line 6’s designers seem to have still deemed it unnecessary to include an On/Off switch on the HD500X, which was an unwelcome surprise to some guitarists on the HD500.

Interface

The HD500X might look intimidating at first glance, but navigating this pedal isn’t all that complicated to be honest. And Line 6’s advanced user guide for the HD500X is refreshingly simple and easy to understand.

The footswitch layout of the HD500X is identical to the HD500. The first two footswitches to the left of the pedal are dedicated to scrolling through the pedal’s banks. The footswitches FS1 through FS8 are assignable to various effects and modulations and the final pair of footswitches on the right of the pedal controls its looper, tuner and tap functions.

The basic control knobs for gain, volume, master, EQ and presence are located conveniently at the top of the pedal and various effects parameters are adjustable via the four knobs located beneath the LED display. A smart little design idea that should be mentioned here is that Line 6’s designers have included a sturdy metal bar just underneath these control knobs to protect them from an unwitting kick while engaging the footswitches.

The HD500X’s LED display is incredibly detailed and offers players a detailed breakdown of their signal chain, which makes editing and creating patches on this complex machine much simpler than one would expect. The four-way control button to the right of the LED screen allows players to navigate across the signal chain, select the specific block they want to change, move it around and assign various modulations and effects to it. Once an effect or modulation is assigned to a block in the signal chain, the bottom of the LED display then displays its adjustable parameters which can be tweaked using the four control knobs under the LED display.

The HD500X is also arguably unmatched in terms of connectivity. The pedal’s back panel includes connectivity options such as a ¼-inch guitar input, stereo and mono output jacks, balanced XLR outputs, aux inputs for CD and MP3, a headphone jack, MIDI in and out/thru jacks and USB connectivity. The pedal also includes a professional quality S/PDIF digital output which is a pleasant surprise for a unit in this price range.

Sound

As far as sound capabilities and sheer tonal versatility go, this pedal is an absolute beast. The HD500X has enough memory to store a mindblowing 512 presets, each with up to eight effects/modulations.

The HD500X’s impressive tonal repertoire starts off with its 30 HD amp modulations, which instead of just being limited to select “best of” models, includes multiple channels of various classic and modern amps from manufacturers like Marshall, Vox, Fender, ENGL, Mesa/Boogie and, of course, Line 6 themselves. These HD amp modulations sound incredibly authentic and are also extremely responsive to guitarists playing dynamics, which is a rare quality for multi-effect pedal based amp modulations.

The pedal also includes well over a hundred effects including various types of distortion/overdrive, chorus, flanger, wah, EQ, delay, reverb, compression, synth and ring modulation effects. And what’s really great about the Line 6 and its Dynamic DSP is that it allows players to add any amp modulation or effect anywhere in the signal chain. Players also have the option of creating two parallel signal chains with completely separate amps and effects, which can then be blended out sent out to two different amps. This gives guitarists virtually an infinite number of possibilities in terms of achievable tones. Line 6 also provides players with free software for Mac and PC which allows players to create and tweak patches with an incredible amount of ease.

Additional Features

The HD500X comes with all the additional functions like a tuner and a tap tempo that you would expect of a pedal of this caliber. But one feature worth mentioning is the HD500X’s excellent looper function which allows a robust 48 seconds of recording capacity.

Conclusion

The Line 6 HD500X is not a cheap multi-effects pedal by any measure, but if you are a guitarist who is willing to invest on versatility and pro-level performance, this is one of the best multi-effect pedals on the market.

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Line 6 POD HD500 Demo

]]>http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-pod-hd500x-review/feed/0Line 6 AMPLIFi FX100 Reviewhttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-amplifi-fx100/
http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-amplifi-fx100/#commentsTue, 07 Oct 2014 00:54:38 +0000http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/?p=1122Line 6 has always been a company at the forefront of the guitar world’s latest technological innovations. From high quality amplifiers to powerful multi-effects processors, the company has delivered consistently in terms of quality and innovation. And with the AMPLIFi FX100, its latest member of the forward-thinking AMPLIFi range of products, Line 6 seems to be stepping into the future of guitar effects processors. If this step is a hit or miss, however, remains to be seen as I delve into a detailed review of the AMPLIFi FX100. Check Amazon Price…Continue reading...

Summary

• Pros: Excellent pedal for jamming along to songs and practicing. Innovative “Tone Search” function and cloud sharing capabilities.
• Cons: Live applications can be limited.
• Overall: A great jamming and practice tool and an interesting step forward in terms of technology and innovation.

Full Review

Line 6 has always been a company at the forefront of the guitar world’s latest technological innovations. From high quality amplifiers to powerful multi-effects processors, the company has delivered consistently in terms of quality and innovation. And with the AMPLIFi FX100, its latest member of the forward-thinking AMPLIFi range of products, Line 6 seems to be stepping into the future of guitar effects processors. If this step is a hit or miss, however, remains to be seen as I delve into a detailed review of the AMPLIFi FX100.

Build

The AMPLIFi FX100 doesn’t really feel like it’s meant to be used in live situations, and to be honest, looks more like it belongs as part of a home entertainment system. But that said, the outer-casing, control knobs and footswitches of the pedal are far from flimsy and feel quite durable. The pedal’s body is mostly metal and the footswitches look and feel like those of Line 6’s iconic POD series multi-effects units. And in all honesty, once you get used to it, the pedal does start to look pretty darn slick.

Interface

The interface of the FX100 gives an impression of an overly simple multi-effects unit. But don’t be fooled – the pedal actually houses up to a hundred preset banks, which brings us to the most unique aspect of the FX100.

Like other products in Line 6’s AMPLIFi series, the FX100 takes advantage of today’s cloud-computing technology along with its Bluetooth connectivity to offer players a unique playing proposition; which is the ability to pair and control it through an iOS device and to also receive and play streamed audio through any Bluetooth enabled device.

The pedal’s 100 presets are divided into 25 banks and the pedal’s four footswitches enable players to switch through a bank’s four presets. Scrolling through the banks isn’t as easy, however, because players need to press down two footswitches simultaneously to do so. The FX100 also includes an expression pedal which can control various expression based effects and also act as a volume control pedal.

The pedal also features six control knobs which allow players to instantly tweak parameters like drive, EQ, FX level and reverb of any preset. To the right of these four knobs is a much larger master volume control knob which also doubles as a mixer when jamming over streamed music through the FX100.

In terms of connectivity, in addition to the standard 1/4-inch amp out, the rear panel of the FX100 also has two “Main Outs” which can be hooked up to your home stereo system to listen to music that you stream on the pedal. There is also a headphone output which you can use to listen to both your playing and the streamed music at the same time.

Sound

One of the most unique features of the FX100 is the cloud-sharing feature which enables players to create, edit and share various patches and to categorize them by genre, artiste and specific song. To do this, players need to download the AMPLIFi Remote App from the iTunes store (Line 6 claims an app for Android is in the works) where they can arrange up to eight of the FX100’s 200+ amps, effects and cabinet modulations in any order they want to.

However, what really sets the AMPLIFi FX100 from other pedals like DigiTech’s iPB-10 Programmable Pedalboard and IK Multimedia’s iRig Stompbox is its unique “Tone Search” feature. This allows players to instantly find tones that match songs that are streamed through the device. To do this, whenever a song is streamed through it the FX100 searches the AMPLIFi community cloud for patches that other players have created for the specific song and offers a list of suggestions that players can then choose from. Players can then actively partake in the cloud by rating existing patches and creating their own.

One significant drawback that needs to be mentioned here though is that the AMPLIFi Remote App does not allow players to create patches from scratch. Instead players must build on one of the FX100’s factory presets or a preset that they download from the cloud.

It’s also important to mention here that Line 6 hasn’t really included their latest HD sounds in the FX100. But that said, its 200+ amps, cabs and effects offer players quite a bit of room to experiment with and create their own unique tones.

Conclusion

Despite its virtually limitless tonal possibilities thanks to the AMPLIFi Cloud, it’s hard to think of the FX100 as a comprehensive pedal for live use. However, the pedal’s Tone Search feature and live music streaming capabilities does add a whole new dimension to jamming and practicing the guitar.

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Line 6 Amplifi FX100 Demo

]]>http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-amplifi-fx100/feed/0Boss ME-80 Reviewhttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com/boss-80-review/
http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/boss-80-review/#commentsSun, 05 Oct 2014 01:33:10 +0000http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/?p=1112There are three main qualities that factor in when creating a great multi-effects unit: sound quality, versatility and simplicity. No one can deny that the multi-effects units available on the market today have come a long way in terms of sound quality and versatility. But the one area that most of these units fall short at is simplicity. However, Roland seems to be nailing it of late with its BOSS ME series multi-effects units. Today I take a look at BOSS’s latest offering, the ME-80. Check Amazon Price…Continue reading...

Summary

• Pros: Simple to use interface and awesome portability for this many effects.
• Cons: Some peculiarities in how effects work together and affect each other.
• Overall: Great pedal for working guitarists who value simplicity, functionality and portability.

Full Review

There are three main qualities that factor in when creating a great multi-effects unit: sound quality, versatility and simplicity. No one can deny that the multi-effects units available on the market today have come a long way in terms of sound quality and versatility. But the one area that most of these units fall short at is simplicity. However, Roland seems to be nailing it of late with its BOSS ME series multi-effects units. Today I take a look at BOSS’s latest offering, the ME-80.

Build

If there’s one thing I love about BOSS these days it’s the fact that they seem to be building pedals that are meant to last. The BOSS ME-80’s outer casing and chassis is made almost entirely out of metal. As they say, it’s built like a tank. The pedal’s footswitches also feel pretty darn solid and the only weak points of the pedal, if any, are its plastic knobs. That said; this is a pedal that feels like it was built to be tossed around. And since the ME-80 can be powered by six AA batteries, you can actually do just that. Not only is this portability invaluable if you busk or play bars and restaurants, but it also means that you can have a nice, long jamming session by yourself with just your guitar, your pedal and a set of headphones.

The ME-80 isn’t a small pedal by any means, but at just 7 pounds and measuring just 17 X 9 inches, transporting it isn’t any more troublesome than carrying around a laptop. And either way, it’s certainly lighter (and cheaper) than having to buy all the individual effects units that it includes.

Interface

The best way to describe the ME-80’s interface is as a collection of stompboxes. Each of the pedal’s eight footswitches are assigned to control things like amp modulation, EQ, reverb, effects, compression and distortion, as well as the pedal’s tuner and looper functions. Each of the footswitches is underscored with a label of which functionality it controls so navigating the pedal isn’t a hard task by any means. But what really makes this pedal a cinch to handle is the fact that each footswitch is assigned to a miniature stompbox-like knob layout which controls the various parameters of each effect or modulation it is assigned to. So this is pretty much a plug-in and play type pedal.

The ME-80 also comes with an expression pedal which allows you to control expression based effects like wah, talk-box and whammy. The pedal can also be used to control modulation rates and delay levels.

Another great thing about the ME-80 is that it can also be used in what is referred to as “manual mode” where each footswitch functions as an on/off switch for a specific effect it is assigned to, effectively transforming the pedal into a pedalboard in itself, which you can then hookup to the rest of your rig.

Sound

One thing I like about the ME-80 is that it feels like a working guitarist’s pedal. Compared to other BOSS units like the GE-100 which has a capacity of 400 presets, the ME-80 comes just with 36 factory presets and the capacity for 36 more user defined presets. So it really is a pedal which puts functionality over over-the-top sound capabilities. But that’s not to say that you can’t create some pretty eccentric tones using this pedal either.

And as far as creating your own custom presets go, the pedal has a great selection of classic and modern amp modulations, twenty three distortion effects and eleven modulation effects. And while the pedal doesn’t include all of BOSS’s effect stompboxes, it does include a pretty varied selection including some of the newer effects like the Tera Echo. The pedal also has a great harmonizer which can harmonize your playing by thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths and octaves.

Another great thing worth mentioning is that BOSS has announced that they will have some big-name artistes partnering up with them and BOSS Tone Central, BOSS’s tone library service. This includes guitarists like Gus G, Marty Friedman and some of BOSS’s own guitar clinicians. Which means that it’ll be easier than ever for players to access a wealth of tonal possibilities almost instantaneously.

One drawback that I must mention, however, is that there are certain peculiarities in how the pedal’s effects-chain functions at times. For instance, if the effects level of a specific effect is set lower than the other effects in a specific patch, there can be a significant drop in the signal for the whole effects chain instead of a cut in the level of the intended effect.

Additional Features

The ME-80 comes complete with pretty much all the basic add-ons that you expect of a pedal of its caliber like tap-tempo, a tuner and a 38 second looper function. The pedal also has a built in audio interface which allow you to hook up your pedal directly to your PC or Mac and record “dry” tracks while monitoring with the pedal’s effects.

Conclusion

If you are a working guitarist that prefers a pedal that is simple and yet functional, portable and yet versatile, the BOSS ME-80 is definitely worth your consideration. And at just around the 300 dollar mark, it certainly packs in a whole load of value for money.

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Boss ME-80 Demo

]]>http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/boss-80-review/feed/0DigiTech RP360 and RP360XP Reviewhttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com/digitech-rp360-rp360xp-review/
http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/digitech-rp360-rp360xp-review/#commentsThu, 18 Sep 2014 09:18:13 +0000http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/?p=1066Over the years multi-effects processors have gone from being the excitable disappointments of the guitar world to becoming a series part of any guitarist’s arsenal of equipment. And over the past few years DigiTech has been a serious player in the multi-effects processor market offering guitarists units that are easy to use, affordable and versatile. Today I take a look at DigiTech’s latest upgrades to its iconic RP series the RP360 and RP360XP; both which pack in some serious effects and functionalities into a handy-sized package. Check Amazon Price…Continue reading...

Summary

• Pros: Rugged build, sleek and stylish design, easy to use interface and a great degree of tonal versatility.
• Cons: The high gain amp modules can sometimes be hit and miss in terms of tone dynamics.
• Overall: A pedal that offers both a great degree of versatility and value for money.

Full Review

Over the years multi-effects processors have gone from being the excitable disappointments of the guitar world to becoming a series part of any guitarist’s arsenal of equipment. And over the past few years DigiTech has been a serious player in the multi-effects processor market offering guitarists units that are easy to use, affordable and versatile. Today I take a look at DigiTech’s latest upgrades to its iconic RP series the RP360 and RP360XP; both which pack in some serious effects and functionalities into a handy-sized package.

Build

In this day and age one of the most important aspects of any piece of musical equipment is portability. There’s literally no guitarist in the world that wants to lug around an over-sized multi-effects processor that’s a nightmare to setup and disassemble. And this is one of the areas that DigiTech seem to be paying attention to of late. The larger of the two, the RP360XP measures just 11.5” X 8.5” and weighs just a little over 4 pounds and fits in easily in most gig bags. The RP360’s all-metal casing is also extremely rugged and the pedal looks like it’ll be able to withstand even the shoddiest treatment on stage and on the road.

Photos

Interface

Another significant improvement in the RP360’s build is its sleek design and minimalist layout. As far as we’re concerned, it doesn’t matter how great a pedal is if it’s confusing nightmare to operate. And the RP360 wins handsomely on this front. The pedal’s minimalist layout is not only stylish and sleek but it is also incredibly easy to operate, even for a first-time user of multi-effects processors. Selecting a preset is as simple as twisting the “select” knob on the right hand side of the LCD display.

And while editing and building presets might seem like a daunting task for most beginners, the RP360’s simplified operating system makes this a breeze to learn as well. To edit or build a preset, players simply have to hold down on the “select” knob. This opens up a signal-chain diagram that shows the amps, cabs and effects that are active in the preset. To change any of these aspects of the preset players simply have to rotate the “select” knob to select the aspect of the signal chain they wish to change. Once an aspect of the signal chain is selected the three adjustment knobs on the bottom of the LCD screen allow players to adjust the various modules and parameters of the effect.

The RP360 also features 2X2 USB connectivity which allows players to hookup the pedal to their Macs or PCs and edit and share tones through DigiTech’s free tone editing software “Nexus”.

Another great thing about the RP360 is that it can be used in three different footswitch modes. Preset mode allows players to scroll through the pedal’s various effects with the A and B footswitches and control the pedal’s looping feature with the C footswitch. This is usually great when you’re jamming at home or rehearsing and have the time to scroll through and try out various presets. Bank mode allows players to assign three presets to the three footswitches and is great when a player needs only a few different sounds for a performance. Stomp mode allows players to switch on or off three effects within a preset. This is great for players that plan on using the RP360 as part of a much larger pedal board. For example, instead of having to purchase separate distortion, delay and EQ pedals, a guitarist can simply assign these three effects to the RP360’s three footswitches and add them instantly to his pedal board.

Sound

The DigiTech RP360 and RP360XP both have a capacity of 198 stored presets (99 factory assigned presets and 99 user created presets). The factory assigned presets include tones modeled after artistes like U2, Led Zeppelin, Metallica and even bands like Minus The Bear and Silversun Pickups. And there are also some whacky tones in there that probably only 1% of the guitar playing population will use. So even if you are a beginner that isn’t too good at creating your own presets, the chances are that you’ll most likely find at least a dozen presets which you can use in your own playing.

And when creating your own presets, the RP360 offers a comprehensive range of amps, cabinets and stompboxes. As far as the amps go the pedal includes modulations of 55 classic amps including Marshall, Vox, Laney, Mesa Boogie and Orange and 27 cabinets.
A slight drawback that should be mentioned here is that some of the amp modules can sometimes be hit and miss. For example some of the higher gain amps don’t seem to sound as dynamic as they should. But that said, with 27 cabinets to choose from, you can most often get a decent enough sound from most of them.

The RP360’s 86 stompboxes are quite comprehensive and include some excellent distortion, flanger, chorus, delay, EQ and reverb options. And in the RP360XP, the pedal’s expression pedal can be assigned to control any number of effects parameters as well as traditional expressions like wah-wah, whammy and volume.

Additional Features

The RP360 an RP360XP both come with a long list of additional features like USB connectivity, aux input, headphone output, 60-track drum machine and built-in tuner. But one function worth mentioning is DigiTech’s trademark “Sound Check” feature which allows players to loop a phrase while tweaking various effects and parameters cutting down the time it takes to achieve that perfect tone.

Conclusion

At under $250 both the RP360 and RP360XP are definitely two pedals that offer serious value for money. And although a few of the pedal’s amp modulations can leave something to be desired the versatility of the effects and cabinets on offer and the pedal’s ease of use more than compensate for its very few shortcomings.

Digitech RP360 Demo

]]>http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/digitech-rp360-rp360xp-review/feed/3Digitech Element and Element XPhttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com/digitech-element-xp-review/
http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/digitech-element-xp-review/#commentsThu, 11 Sep 2014 01:55:50 +0000http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/?p=976The DigiTech Element and Element XP are two of DigiTech’s more recent offerings that are both affordable and versatile. Both these pedals are jam packed with hundreds of effects and amp and cabinet modulations, and come complete with a built in tuner and drum machine. The only difference between the two is that the Element XP comes with an expression pedal and four additional expression-based effects. Check Amazon Price…Continue reading...

Full Review:

The DigiTech Element and Element XP were released in October 2013. Both of these multi-effects pedals are extremely versatile and affordable. They are jam packed with hundreds of effects and amp and cabinet modulations, and come complete with a built in tuner and drum machine. The only difference between the two is that the Element XP comes with an expression pedal and four additional expression-based effects.

Build

Both the Element and the Element XP are built out of extremely durable plastic and can easily withstand the wear and tear of either a studio or live environment. And measuring at just 6.25″ x 4.5″ and 6.25″ x 7.95″ respectively, they are both quite compact and fit easily in most gig bags. The DigiTech Element XP also weighs in at a little over a pound and the Element weighs in at roughly half that weight, making both pedals a cinch to transport.

Interface

The pedalboard style interfaces of both the Element and Element XP are wonderfully simple to use. And the great thing about both these pedals is the fact that even if you are an absolute beginner when it comes to multi-effects processors, you can simply plug these in and start playing without having to rifle through a huge manual. In fact, both these pedals come with a Quick Start Guide which includes the very basics of operating the pedal.

Another cool thing about these two pedals is that both their interfaces include a signal chain diagram. This helps players keep track of the various effects and modulations in their signal chain and is a great way for beginners to understand how multi-effects signal chains function. Say for instance you particularly like a specific factory preset of the pedal, using the signal chain diagram you’re easily able to break down and analyze the tone in terms of the compressor, amp modulation, distortion, noise gates, EQ, effects, delay and reverb used.

As far as navigating and adjusting various settings on the pedal goes, it’s a fairly straightforward procedure. When the pedal is in “Play” mode, you simply tap the left of right footswitch to scroll up or down through the 100 factory presets. Alternatively, you can also scroll through the presets by turning the control knob next to the display. You’ll notice that the display screen will show a number 1-100 indicating the current preset. You can also program and save up to 100 personal presets on top of the factory presets. To begin, all of the personal presets mirror the factory presets so you can use the factory settings as a starting point, then fine tune your sound to your liking.

To edit a preset, Digitech has tried to make the process as easy as possible by giving you more even presets to choose to experiment with. You will have the option of editing your preset with the 20 presets in the “Tone Bank” or 20 presets in the “FX Bank.” To access these options, you press either the “Tone Bank” or “FX Bank” buttons and then use the control knob to scroll through numbers which are assigned to different presets. Scrolling through some of these options allows you to quickly and easily try out different configurations to see how they sound.

Some of the tones in the Tone Bank include Rock, Metal, Blues, Country, Crunch, Chunky, Rockabilly, Fuzz, Scooped, Acoustic, etc. The FX Bank holds various effects chain combinations. Some examples of FX presets include chorus, chorus + delay + reverb, phaser + tape delay, etc. You can even select specific effects by pressing either the Tone Bank or FX Bank buttons is lit. So for example, if you want to choose a specific delay pedal, you would press the FX Bank button repeatedly until the LED under the delay pedal is lit. Then you could use the control knob to try various simulated pedals. There are various types of delay pedals to choose from including tape delays, digital delays, ping pong delays and analog delays.

One drawback to the pedal is that the screen can only display three digits at a time. This means that you won’t really know what preset you are selecting in the Tone Bank or the FX Bank unless you refer back to the manual to see what number corresponds to which preset. For example, No. 6 in the Tone Bank is the “Warm Drive” tone. If you are editing a preset to add a specific type of delay, then you’ll have to refer to the manual to see what the options are. Alternatively, you could just scroll through the numbers and see what sounds good without really knowing what you are doing. On the other end of the spectrum, there are pedals out there like the Digitech iPB-10 which give you a complete visual representation of a virtual pedal board on your iPad so you know exactly what you are using.

Photos

Sound

What’s great about both the Element and Element XP is that DigiTech uses the same processor chip that it uses on most of its higher-end multi-effects processors on these pedals. So there really is no loss in quality of the tone that you’re getting here. To be honest, the 100 factory presets sound pretty darn good. DigiTech made a smart decision to avoid assigning cabinet simulations to the built-in patches that can sometimes make the tones sound artificial.

Although the individual amp modulations and effects sound fairly authentic, the Element and Element XP’s clean tones do tend to lack power and presence. However this isn’t an issue for most beginner and casual players; and more serious players that do decide to use these pedals can often fix this issue with a little extra gain added in their effects loop. You could easily use this one multi-effects pedal to play a whole gig, saving you the hassle of hauling a ton of separate effects pedals with you.

As mentioned above, the preset tones available on both pedals range from bluesy rhythms to all-out wailing leads, and cover quite a sonic spectrum in between. This variety of preset tones available again make both these pedals an excellent choice especially for guitarists who want an inexpensive and lightweight way to have a have at least a few dozen tones that they can work with off the bat. And tweaking these tones by adjusting the specific elements of their signal chains will make sure you don’t hit the limits of this pedal for quite a while.

Other Features

What I truly love about this pedal above all else is the drum machine. Both these pedals come with a built-in drum machine with 45 different drum and rhythm tracks. While this won’t replace a real-life drummer in your studio, it can make practicing and jamming by yourself a whole lot more fun. It also has a built-in tuner, and a headphone out jack so you don’t wake the neighbors.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you are on the lookout for an affordable, easy-to-use multi-effects processor that still offers you a great deal of variety and flexibility, the DigiTech Element and Element XP are definitely worth a look.

Digitech Element Demo

]]>http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/digitech-element-xp-review/feed/0Digitech iPB-10 Reviewhttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com/digitech-ipb-10-review/
http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/digitech-ipb-10-review/#commentsThu, 21 Mar 2013 21:24:32 +0000http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/?p=797Digitech’s iPB-10 is in many ways a sign of things to come. In this age where there is an app for everything, it was only a matter of time before technology-toting guitarists were treated to a multi-effects unit like the iPB-10. The basic idea is simple: combine the body of a traditional multi-effects pedal with the brains and user interface of an amp and effects modeling iPad app – allowing for one amp model, one cab model and ten stompbox effects working simultaneously. Check Amazon Price…Continue reading...

Summary

• Pros: Extremely easy to use, with good hands-free capability and plenty of amps, cabs and effects to choose from.
• Cons: There are some limitations on which effects you can use simultaneously, and if you don’t have an iPad then it’s virtually useless.
• Overall: For casual guitarists who own an iPad already, the iPB-10 is a fantastic pedal – otherwise, it’s probably best to stick with something more traditional.

Full Review

Digitech’s iPB-10 is in many ways a sign of things to come. In this age where there is an app for everything, it was only a matter of time before technology-toting guitarists were treated to a multi-effects unit like the iPB-10. The basic idea is simple: combine the body of a traditional multi-effects pedal with the brains and user interface of an amp and effects modeling iPad app – allowing for one amp model, one cab model and ten stompbox effects working simultaneously. But is this is an inspired idea that represents the future of guitar multi-effects, or a half-baked concept that should have been left on the drawing board?

Features

The iPB-10 is unusual in that its main feature isn’t even part of the pedal. Realistically, the iPB-Nexus app does the vast majority of the work, and all of it when it comes to controlling parameters, making edits to presents and arranging your signal chain. Thankfully, it’s free, but the iPad it needs quite obviously isn’t. If you don’t have an iPad, the pedal is just a collection of 100 presets. However, this also means that you can use it without your iPad at a gig, as long as you save your desired presets beforehand, and can do without a display screen or the ability to make further edits as you play. It’s a fairly sturdy unit, though, and your iPad fits right into the body, with a thick outer frame locking it in place and providing some protection.

Technically speaking, you can have as many presets as you like, so long as they’re only stored on the iPad. 100 of these can be stored on the pedalboard and be called up using the footswitches, and each preset can include up to ten effects, an amp model and a cab model. You have plenty of sounds to choose from, too, with 54 amp models, 26 cabs and 87 effects pedals included with the app. There are a lot of possibilities with the iPB-10, giving you the ability to draw on models of legendary amps and classic effects to make up to 100 different custom (and fairly sizeable) setups. If you were an unimaginably prolific musician playing in ten bands, you can have ten unique, fully-stocked pedalboards for every single band.

The non-iPad portion of the pedal is basically a collection of rugged metal footswitches and an expression pedal; it’s wholly dedicated to making the experience as hands-free as possible. The presets are split into banks of five, and you can change banks using the two switches to the left of the iPad slot. In your chosen bank, the lower row of footswitches (labeled 1 to 5) is used to select a specific preset – so you can access any of your 100 presets completely hands-free. When you’ve called up a preset, you can use the top row of footswitches to activate or deactivate their corresponding effects, and the two to the left of the iPad allow you to activate or deactivate the effects and amp loops of your signal chain.

On the back of the unit, there are stereo outputs in both 1/4 inch and XLR, a 1/4 inch input jack, dual 1/4 inch jacks for both an effects loop and an amp loop, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a USB port, a looper controller jack and a spot for the power supply, along with an output volume knob and a power button. Needless to say, you aren’t short of options for connectivity.

The decision to use an app for the user interface, while meaning you have to be in possession of an expensive piece of technology to get the most out of it, was an excellent one in terms of ease of use. Almost everything is accomplished with either simple dragging-and-dropping or just tapping the thing you want to change. For example, your signal chain is displayed across the middle of the screen (as images of stompboxes), and if you tap any element of it, the alternative options are brought up for you to choose from. There are only five stompboxes displayed at once, but it only takes a simple touch to scroll over to the next screen. There’s also a page where you can see your full signal chain, and from there you can re-arrange it by just dragging and dropping as appropriate. You can also drag and drop specific effects onto icons at the bottom to be controlled by the five assignable footswitches.

Parameter-adjustment also couldn’t be much easier. Double-tapping any element in your signal chain enlarges it, and changes can be made by “turning” the dial – just like on the real things. Really, you tap the dial and drag up or down to adjust (with the display telling you the current setting), but it’s close enough to how you work a real stomp-box to be intuitive. It’s so easy to use you’re unlikely to even need the manual.

Is it As Good As it Seems?

For ease of operation, the pedal is an absolute knockout, but there are still some niggling issues it’s worth considering. The amp and effects modeling is really good, overall, but the amps in particular don’t quite measure up to the real things, especially when you increase the gain. If you’re looking for a top-quality tone, you can use the effects but you’d be better off using a real, physical amp.

The option of having ten simultaneous effects is great, but you don’t have the complete and utter freedom you may be imagining. Along with your amp and cab, you can use one distortion, noise gate, wah, delay, reverb, compressor, an EQ, a volume effect and two modulators. Most guitarists wouldn’t have a problem with this, per se, but more flexibility in combinations would have been useful for some. Additionally, they could have included a “stompbox mode,” where all ten of the lower footswitches were assigned to effects to increase the hands-free capability, rather than just five. Again, though, most players won’t really need to toggle all ten effects, but it would have been a good extension of the pedal’s capability.

And then there’s the big, iPad-shaped elephant in the room. You’re not only buying a multi-effects unit, you’re also expected to own an expensive bit of technology. In effect, you aren’t really getting the whole effects pedal package, more like a shell with basic functionality. Only a madman would buy an iPad for the purpose, but it’s a lot more rational to be wary of having your iPad (however protected) on stage when you’re jumping around and stomping switches, especially after a couple of beers. It is well protected, but iPads aren’t cheap, and there’s an obvious risk involved. You could program your required presets in and use it without the iPad, but then you have no screen other than the small LCD one in the top corner showing which preset bank you have active.

If you own an iPad already, and particularly if you’re a casual player – with the odd gig to play but primarily jamming or playing at home – then the iPB-10 is pretty awesome. Its appeal lies in its simplicity and ease of use, and while the sound quality could be better, for most the pedal will have everything you want and more. For serious gigging musicians, the inherent, physical appeal of more traditional pedals might still win out, but otherwise the iPB-10 is fantastic fun, and a purchase you’re unlikely to regret.

Digitech iPB-10 Demo

]]>http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/digitech-ipb-10-review/feed/0Fender Mustang Floor Reviewhttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com/fender-mustang-floor-review/
http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/fender-mustang-floor-review/#commentsThu, 21 Mar 2013 20:37:41 +0000http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/?p=783The Fender Mustang Floor is what you get when you rip the amp-modeling and effects-laden processor from a Mustang III/IV/V amp and stick it into a sizable multi-effects style floor unit. The result might not have the overwhelming number of amp models and effects you’ll find with many options on the market, such as the Zoom G5, but when it really comes down to it, do we need hundreds of amp models and effects, or should we be more concerned about the quality of the sounds offered? Check Amazon Price…Continue reading...

Summary

• Pros: Intuitively easy to use, with a good set of amp models and well-produced effects, along with plenty of footswitches and sturdy construction.
• Cons: The number of different effects and amp models available is fairly low, and there isn’t much scope for on-the-fly editing during a performance.
• Overall: A fantastic pedal. It’s ideal for casual players, but also has a fair amount to offer serious gigging musicians, despite some minor limitations.

Full Review

The Fender Mustang Floor is what you get when you rip the amp-modeling and effects-laden processor from a Mustang III/IV/V amp and stick it into a sizable multi-effects style floor unit. The result might not have the overwhelming number of amp models and effects you’ll find with many options on the market, such as the Zoom G5, but when it really comes down to it, do we need hundreds of amp models and effects, or should we be more concerned about the quality of the sounds offered? Does Fender’s entry into the world of effects pedals fall short of the competition, or simply remind us of the importance of quality over quantity?

Features

Looking at the beastly pedal, the first thing you’ll notice is the relatively simplistic layout. The right hand edge of the unit is occupied by an expression pedal, directly to the left there is an LCD screen (with a pushable dial and a small collection of buttons) and the remainder of the pedal is taken up by nine metallic button-style footswitches. If you’re familiar with the Mustang amps, the layout will make you feel right at home, but even for those completely new to Fender Mustangs, the Floor pedal has a comfortingly straightforward layout.

For connecting up, there are plenty of options on the Mustang Floor. The back of the unit is complete with a 1/4 inch input, stereo 1/4 inch outputs, dual XLR outputs, a MIDI in and out, two jacks for a mono effects loop, an auxiliary input (1/8 inch), a headphone jack and a USB port. There’s also a spare 1/4 inch jack for an expression pedal or optional footswitch.

The Mustang Floor comes stocked with 12 amp models, including models of classic Fender amps such as the ’57 Deluxe and the ’65 Twin Reverb, as well as some more generically-named ones for guitarists looking for a specific sound, like British ‘80s. For effects, there are 7 stomp effects, 10 reverbs, 9 delays and 11 modulators to choose from. You can store your sounds in any of the 100 preset locations included on the pedal, some of which come with factory sounds pre-programmed in. While many other pedals on the market have selections that dwarf that from the Mustang Floor, there is still more than enough to experiment with here.

You can use the Fender Mustang in one of two modes: “Preset” or “FX Select” mode, selected using the dedicated “Mode” footswitch. In “Preset” mode, the “Bank/Preset” switch allows you to change between banks, and in “FX Select” mode it allows you to change between presets. This means you can navigate between presets hands-free, even if they’re in a different bank. You can also choose a preset with the dial next to the LCD screen, and the buttons below it can be used for parameter adjustment. If you want on-the-fly control over a parameter, it can be assigned to the expression pedal. By pushing down the toe end of the expression pedal, you choose between altering your chosen parameter or just using it as a volume pedal.

Fender’s FUSE software also comes with the pedal (which you download for free), and allows you to control effects parameters on your computer, including some which otherwise can’t be edited. Connecting up via USB allows you to make these edits and save effectively unlimited presets on your computer, as well as giving Fender the opportunity to update the pedal’s firmware.

Is it Quality Over Quantity?

For anybody familiar with multi-effects pedals, especially those put off by complex arrays of dials, switches and buttons, the simplicity of the Fender Mustang is a breath of fresh air. The advanced manual is a mere 12 pages, and in reality, you probably won’t even need it anyway. That’s how easy the Mustang Floor is to use; a welcome change for anybody who feels like using most multi-effects pedals might as well require a freaking degree, and one taught entirely through badly-written manuals, at that.

The sound quality is also excellent, overall. With the overdrive-heavy amp models like “American ‘90s,” you might find the undertones a little overpowering (even after reducing the bass it’s still not ideal), but for the most part they’re responsive and sound great. Not perfect, of course, but right up there with what you expect from high-end amp models. For stompboxes, you have a fantastic selection, with plenty of options for tweaking the sound and generally authentic results.

As long as you prepare, the fact that the Mustang Floor is primarily composed of footswitches makes it well-suited for live use. The only challenges may come if you need to make on-the-fly changes, because the display screen is a little small, and you’ll need to stoop over to press buttons and turn dials to alter anything other than the parameter you’ve assigned to the expression pedal. However, if you have your sounds sculpted before you step on stage, arranged sensibly and ensure you don’t need to make any changes mid-set (you could, for example, make a few small tweaks to the sound of one preset and save the result separately), then the Mustang Floor works pretty well live. It’s definitely worth considering other options if you’re a serious gigging musician, though.

The Mustang may not be able to join in the “we have more amp models than you” one-up-man-ship the industry seems obsessed with, but it’s an important reminder that it’s better to do fewer things really well than a ton of things to a mediocre standard. If you can live without little bells and whistles like drum machines, loopers and an extra 50 effects you’ll probably barely use, then the Mustang Floor is great for its straight-to-the-point effectiveness and ease of use. For a full-time gigging musician, it’s worth thinking about whether you’ll need easy on-the-fly editing before you make the purchase, but for most casual players, the Mustang is a great option – more than suitable for home use and the occasional gig.

Fender Mustang Floor Demo

]]>http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/fender-mustang-floor-review/feed/0Line 6 M5 Stompbox Modeler Reviewhttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-m5-review/
http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-m5-review/#commentsTue, 19 Mar 2013 10:21:17 +0000http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/?p=742Bigger isn’t always better. Well, that’s what we tell ourselves. Since we can’t always afford the fully stocked, top end effects pedals (what did you think we were talking about?) with footswitches, buttons and dials covering every square inch of their goliath surface area, compromise is often necessary. Line 6’s M13 is the biggest of the M-series, but unless you’re very serious about your multi-effects, the choice is likely between either the mid-sized M9 or the compact M5. Check Amazon Price…Continue reading...

Summary

• Pros: 109 effects in total, the same as on the bigger M-series models. A versatile addition to a pedalboard for around the price of a single stompbox.
• Cons: No simultaneous effects; you’re limited to one at a time. The shortage of footswitches makes live use a challenge.
• Overall: If you’re looking for something with the core effects of the M-series for less money, the M5 is a great deal, but it does lack some features from the bigger options.

Full Review

Bigger isn’t always better. Well, that’s what we tell ourselves. Since we can’t always afford the fully stocked, top end effects pedals (what did you think we were talking about?) with footswitches, buttons and dials covering every square inch of their goliath surface area, compromise is often necessary. Line 6’s M13 is the biggest of the M-series, but unless you’re very serious about your multi-effects, the choice is likely between either the mid-sized M9 or the compact M5. The M5 may be a little poorly-endowed in terms of footswitches, but it still has plenty to offer – packing a lot of the same core features in a considerably more affordable package. But is it really worth it, or in this case, does size really matter?

Smaller Package; Same Effects

Rather than needlessly withholding some variety for the larger models, Line 6 has admirably included all 109 effects from the super-sized M13 in the M5. These effects include many modeled after classic stompbox effects, and plenty from Line 6’s own collection. You get 19 delays, 23 modulators, 17 distortions, 12 compressors and EQs, 26 filters and 12 reverbs, including options inspired by pedals such as the Electro-Harmonix Memory Man, the ProCo Rat and the Arbiter Fuzz Face, among many others. All of this variety comes in a pedal the size of a slightly wide stompbox (about the same size as the Big Muff).

The M5 comes with 24 factory-programmed presets, but you can overwrite all of these to save your own creations. Finding an effect is pretty straightforward: push the dial on the top left of the unit in to change between groups of effects (distortions, modulators and so on) and then turn it to choose a specific effect. The rest of the dials (five in total) on the M5 are used to alter the parameters of the effects, so you can easily tweak the basic sounds to suit your requirements. For example, after you’ve selected an echo effect, you can adjust parameters to give it a faster decay, and for a filter you can specify which frequencies it affects.

Since the M5 is a compact pedal, you only get two footswitches. Ordinarily, tapping the left one activates or deactivates your selected effect, and the right one is used to tap out the tempo for modulators and delays. By pressing both of the pedals together, you put the M5 into preset mode, where the two pedals allow you to scroll up or down to the next preset. Once you’ve set up (and logically organized) your presets, this means you can easily switch between effects hands-free.

On the back of the pedal, there are 1/4 inch stereo inputs and outputs, and there is a pair of five-pin MIDI connections (in and out) on the left side. There’s also a spot to connect an external expression pedal on the back, which would make a nice addition if you’re looking to use the pedal live and want some control over parameters as you play. A lot of larger pedals do come with expression pedals as standard, though.

The M5 vs. the M9

It’s seems natural to compare the M5 to its similar but a slightly larger sibling, the M9, but the two pedals aren’t really shooting for the same thing. The M13 and M9 aim to do everything at the same time; allowing you to use different effects simultaneously (up to four on the M13) and thereby filling the role of a whole pedalboard with one single device. The M5 is fundamentally different: its job is more like that of a stompbox, but one that can be anything you want it to be at a moment’s notice. If you aren’t completely dependent on effects but use them every so often, the M5 can easily meet your needs by filling whatever role you need it to in any given song.

The lack of simultaneous effects is still a downside, but it’s a matter of how the pedal is intended to be used. Since you’ll likely already have some stompboxes, the M5 can slot into your existing setup rather than replacing it, serving as any one of 109 single-function stompboxes all for around the same price as one of them. If you do need something to form a complex, multi-effect signal chain on its own, then the M5 isn’t right for you, but for anybody else, its flexibility is a big advantage even without simultaneous effects.

With all that said, there’s a reason that all of the more expensive units tend to have more footswitches. The M5 isn’t ideal for playing live because there’s only so much you can do in the heat of the moment with only two switches. Changing between presets, for example, is fine when you’re jamming in your house, but do you really want to need to double-press the two pedals, tap up or down as appropriate and then double-tap again if you need to change effects mid song? Larger units can dedicate footswitches to changing presets, but the smaller you go the more tap-dancing you have to do. In addition, the M5’s small size means that extras like a looper (included on the bigger M-series models) aren’t included.

So the M5 is far from perfect, but it’s core appeal is for casual players looking to have fun with effects without breaking the bank. Some of the effects could be better and there’d be more sonic possibilities if you could have more than one effect active at a time, but if you don’t want to spend too much, these are the sort of flaws that can be easily overlooked. Ultimately, if you’re considering (or would consider) getting a stompbox for one good effect, while it might not be quite as well captured in the M5, you can probably get the effect you’re looking for as well as 108 others for the same price. For casual players wanting to experiment with effects, it’s definitely worth considering picking one up.

The decision you have to make comes down to what you want to do with your pedal. If you want something flexible and easy to use that doesn’t make too big a dent in your bank balance, and especially if don’t want something to replace your existing stompboxes, then you could do a lot worse than the M5. For more serious players, or anybody willing to spend a little more on their effects, then it’s probably a little too limited, but for a bit of fun at minimal cost, the M5 is just what you’re looking for.

Compare Prices

Line 6 M5 Demo

]]>http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-m5-review/feed/0Line 6 POD HD400 Reviewhttp://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-pod-hd400-review/
http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/line-6-pod-hd400-review/#commentsMon, 18 Mar 2013 10:28:09 +0000http://multieffectspedalreviews.com/?p=710If Goldilocks were to choose a Line 6 POD HD series pedal, she would undoubtedly moan about the abundance of pedal switches and the sheer mass of the 500 and whine about the relative daintiness of the 300. The 400 falls right in the middle, the Goldilocks-zone for multi-effects pedals. In terms of price, size and functionality, it aims to strike a balance to suit players who play live, but don’t have the bankroll to splurge on the HD500. Check Amazon Price…Continue reading...

Summary

• Pros: Enough footswitches for comfortable live use, 16 “HD” amp models, and over 100 M-class effects. Excellent sound quality overall.
• Cons: Some annoying limitations on which effects you can combine, and editing parameters on-the-fly is challenging.
• Overall: A great value pedal for the price, with plenty of amp models and effects to keep you entertained. Bigger models may be better for serious gigging musicians, though.

Full Review

Mid-sized multi-effects pedals aim to strike the perfect balance between capability and affordability, not quite packing the multitude of footswitches you’ll find on larger units but with more options and more potential for live use than smaller incarnations. In Line 6’s POD HD line, the HD500 is the beast of the family – although it’s been superseded by the HD500X – boasting 12 footswitches alongside a wide range of amp and stompbox models, but it will also cost you a lot more. The cheaper HD300 is a little too small for effective live use, but the HD400 is firmly in the “Goldilocks zone” of multi-effects pedals – aiming to balance potential for live use, a wide range of effects and amp options and a reasonable price. But is it really the perfect pedal for more casual guitarists, or does it fall short of its lofty goal?

A Multitude of Features

The “HD” amp modeling is the big selling-point for the POD HD series, with Line 6 re-writing their own rule book to boost the accuracy and realism of their models. According to the marketing for the series, the new models provide ten times the precision of their older POD models, but in reality this is something of an exaggeration. It’s definitely improved, and for most players there’s nothing to complain about, but if you’re serious about an authentic tone, the HD series of amp models is far from enough justification to put your vintage tube amp up for sale in the classifieds.

The amp models take inspiration from classics from throughout guitar history, with options inspired by amps such as the Vox AC-15, the Fender Blackface Deluxe Reverb, the Marshall JCM-800 and the Hiwatt Custom 100, with Line 6 having whittled the original list of hundreds of amps down to just 16. The HD400 allows for firmware updates, and these occasionally include brand new amp models, for example adding alternative channels on already-included amps and new options from Line 6. The amp models can be adjusted with the “Drive,” “Bass,” “Mid” and “Treble” dials running across the center of the HD400, and you can also alter the volume of the channel.

The POD HD400 features over 100 M-class effects, the same stompbox-inspired sounds made popular by the M5, M9 and M13 stompbox modelers from Line 6. These include distortions, delays, EQs, pitch effects, echoes, wahs, reverbs, phasers, filters and other modulators. The higher-end HD500 actually has the same number of effects, which is a big bonus for the HD400, because you don’t lose out on possible effects by opting for the smaller pedal. You can have four active simultaneously, and most of the effects are split across dials labeled “FX1,” “2” and “3.” The effects can be combined with amp models, and you have 128 user presets to store your creations in (although by connecting to a computer you can effectively extend this to the limits of your hard drive). There are also 256 ready-designed presets on the HD400, too.

There are plenty of footswitches on the POD HD400, with nine in total allowing for sufficient hands-free operation to suit most players. Five of these have fairly fixed functions, with two for selecting a bank of presets (when you’re in “Preset Mode”) or scrolling to a specific preset, a “Mode” switch, one for activating and deactivating the optional effects loop and the other for tapping out a tempo for timing-dependent effects. The remaining four switches are used to activate and deactivate amp models and effects, just like stompbox switches. Finally, there’s an expression pedal on the right edge of the HD400, which allows control over the wah effect, can be used as a volume pedal and can be assigned to control the pitch glide effect.

The four stompbox-like footswitches take on different roles when you make use of the onboard looper on the HD400. You’re allowed up to 24 seconds of looping (with unlimited overdubs), and the function is primarily controlled by the two central pedals, one used for recording and overdubbing and the other for playing back what you’ve done and stopping playback. You can set the loop to come pre or post effects, and use the looper more like a sampler (playing through recordings only once), but there’s no undo/redo function. The Zoom G5, along with other units – even from the older Line 6 M-series – handle looping a little better, with the G5 offering 60 seconds of looping time (or 30 with the undo/redo function active) and sticking with the conventional layout (with a single record/play/overdub pedal and other options controlled separately), but the HD400’s looper can still be plenty of fun.

On the back of the HD400, there’s an input jack, stereo 1/4 inch outputs, stereo XLR outputs, jacks for a stereo effects loop, a 1/4 inch jack for an expression pedal, a headphone jack and a USB port, giving you plenty of options for connectivity.

Is it Worth the Money?

The POD HD400 isn’t the perfect pedal, but it is unavoidably user-friendly, and the sound quality is great overall. The problems with it tend to be fairly minor. For example, the footswitches could be a little bigger, and as things stand clumsy or wide-footed guitarists might accidently catch the wrong switch every so often. The expression pedal and the dials also aren’t as precise as they could be, feeling more incremental than smooth and continuous in the changes they apply.

There are also limitations on how you can combine effects. They’re grouped so they can be selected by the three dials, but this has some unfortunate consequences. For example, you can’t combine a distortion model with a compressor, or a tremolo and a filter. It might not be an issue for most, but other multi-effects pedals provide more freedom in the effects you can combine.

Even with these minor issues, it has to be conceded that the HD400 is a very capable effects pedal. You’ll be more than happy with the amp models unless you’re a perfectionist audiophile, and you’ll undoubtedly have more effects than you know what to do with. The claims of ten times the audio quality are a little overblown, but the improvement over the older models is definitely noticeable.

The goal of creating the “Goldilocks-zone” effects pedal has been accomplished with the HD400, featuring enough footswitches to be used in the occasional gig, but keeping the price reasonably low. If you’re a serious live player, opting for a better-stocked unit in terms of footswitches may be a wise move, but for most guitarists the HD400 will be more than capable. With an excellent selection of sounds for less money than the goliath unit, it’s a great choice for the casual guitarist, but for those who need the additional trappings of the HD500X, it may fall just a little short.